Questions about Offline Workflow Mode feature in SPP (4319563)

Questions about Offline Workflow Mode feature in SPP.

1. What is Offline Workflow Mode?
2. Are passwords handled "business as usual" in Offline Workflow mode?
3. Do policy changes affect the appliance in Offline Workflow mode?
4. Does the appliance in Offline Workflow mode need to be returned to the cluster as soon as possible?
5. How are online operations to be resumed?

1. What is Offline Workflow Mode?
   Offline Workflow mode enables access request workflow on an appliance isolated from other cluster members. Normally Safeguard disables access request workflow when an appliance loses consensus to ensure password consistency and individual accountability of privileged accounts, however, in the event of an extended network partition, the Appliance Administrator can enable this feature to run access request workflow. When network issues are resolved and connectivity is reestablished, the Appliance Administrator can manually resume online operations to merge audit logs, drop any in flight access requests, and return the appliance to full participation in the cluster.
2. Are passwords handled "business as usual" in Offline Workflow mode?
   No. Users can request, approve, and release passwords and sessions based on the latest cached policy data.
    If the policy requires changes after a check-in, the requirement will be bypassed.
   Note: An event will trigger indicating that a password reset has been bypassed.
3. Do policy changes affect the appliance in Offline Workflow mode?
   No. Policy changes will not affect the appliance in offline workflow mode. Policy changes will only be allowed if they are directed to an online appliance within the cluster. Once the offline workflow appliance has resumed online operations, all policy changes will be distributed.
4. Does the appliance in Offline Workflow mode need to be returned to the cluster as soon as possible?
   Yes. Best practice is to solve the underlying problem and return the appliance to the cluster in a timely manner.
   Note: The appliance administrator must manually restore online operations before adding other nodes to ensure that the appliance can be seamlessly reintegrated into the cluster.
5. How are online operations to be resumed?
   Carefully. The network partition must be corrected before resuming online operations with full functionality. It is possible to resume online operations of an appliance in Offline Workflow mode without the need for a quorum. It is strongly recommended that network connectivity be restored between the majority of the cluster members, including the member in offline workflow mode. While it is possible to resume operations if the appliance is not connected, access requests will no longer be available.

Timely return to normal cluster operation is important for the following reasons:

• Restore individual accountability. On a network partition where one or more appliances are in offline workflow mode, it is possible for two individuals to have the same password at the same time. Although it is possible to identify each person who had access to the password at that time, it is not possible to link actions to a single responsible person.
• Sync password. Users may still request a password from the primary or another replica on the cluster with consensus as usual. Password changes will proceed on the consensus side of the cluster without regard for the appliance in Offline Workflow mode. Passwords on the appliance in Offline Workflow mode may be out of sync until the partition is healed.
• Restore compliance to policy. In Offline Workflow mode, it is possible that current policy is not being followed since password change is bypassed and the policy in effect is the one cached at the time the appliance went offline which may be different than the policy governing the cluster.
• Make cluster wide audit data whole. Everything that happens on an appliance in Offline Workflow mode is audited on that appliance only and the audit data may be lost unless the appliance is returned to the cluster using the resume online operations steps. When online operations are resumed, audit logs from the appliance that was in Offline Workflow are merged with the cluster audit logs.

We recommend that no changes be made to the cluster membership while an appliance is in offline workflow mode.

For more information, see the following topic in the Administration Guide:

• Disaster recovery and clusters | Enable offline workflow